DeKalb man enters guilty plea to statutory rape

SYCAMORE – A DeKalb man was released on probation Wednesday after spending about 4 months in jail for the statutory rape of a minor.

Ventura Hernandez-Cruz, 23, of the 1100 block of Pleasant Street in DeKalb, pleaded guilty Wednesday to aggravated criminal sexual abuse in exchange for prosecutors dropping a second count of the same charge.

Hernandez-Cruz was credited with 121 days served and is serving 48 months probation. He will have to pay a series of fees including a $500 fine, $100 violent crime assistance fee, $200 DNA indexing fees and monthly probation fees.

Additionally, he must register as a sex offender for life.

Hernandez-Cruz was charged for a Nov. 13 incident in which he had sex with a minor between the ages of 13 and 17.

He was not accused of forcing the girl, according to court documents, but the juvenile could not legally consent. Hernandez-Cruz told police he believed the girl was 16.